Southwest plans to reduce capacity, reevaluate 2024 financial outlook on delivery delays from Boeing
Shares of Southwest are plunging as the airline said that it plans to reduce capacity and reevaluate its full-year financial outlook because of fewer expected aircraft deliveries from its supplier, Boeing.
US proposes replacing engine-housing parts on Boeing jets like one involved in passenger's death
Five years after a fatal accident, federal officials are proposing modifications and additional inspections to the engine housing of nearly 2,000 Boeing jets in the U.S. The proposal by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday largely follows recommendations that Boeing made to airlines in July.
At Southwest Airlines, a day of calm after a week of chaos
Southwest Airlines is returning to a relatively normal flight schedule as the focus shifts to making things right with what could be well more than a million passengers who missed family connections or flights home during the holidays, and many of whom are still missing luggage.
EXPLAINER: Why airlines fear 5G will upend travel this week
The airline industry is raising the stakes in a showdown with AT&T and Verizon over plans to launch new 5G wireless service this week, warning that thousands of flights could be grounded or delayed if the rollout takes place near major airports.
Southwest Airlines orders 100 Boeing 737 Max planes
FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020 file photo, a worker uses a flashlight to inspect an engine on a Boeing 737 Max 8 built for Southwest Airlines at Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash. On Monday, mach 29, 2021, Southwest said it's expanding its all-Boeing fleet with an order for 100 737 MAX airplanes. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)NEW YORK โ Southwest Airlines said Monday it is expanding its all-Boeing fleet with an order for 100 Max jets instead of buying planes from Europe's Airbus. Southwest ordered the 150-seat 737 Max 7 and expects the first 30 to show up next year. AdCombined with past orders, Chicago-based Boeing is in line to build more than 600 Max 7 and Max 8 jets for Southwest through 2031. American and United had already resumed Max flights, and Alaska Airlines began using the plane too.
Airlines return to old ways; Southwest drops boarding change
Delta is the only airline still blocking middle seats, but there's no guarantee that'll continue past April 30. Southwest Airlines has gone back to boarding passengers in lots of 30. Southwest and several other airlines that once blocked middle seats now sell out flights if they can. The last holdout is Delta Air Lines, which has extended empty middle seats through April 30. Tuesday marked the 13th straight day that more than 1 million passengers went through U.S. airport checkpoints, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Southwest Airlines employee in Texas goes โto infinity and beyondโ to return boyโs Buzz Lightyear toy
DALLAS, Texas โ A young boy is reunited with his lost Buzz Lightyear toy after he left it on a plane in Dallas earlier this week. Southwest Airlines detailed Buzzโs heartwarming journey home on Facebook. Thatโs when Buzzโs journey to return home began. AdAccording to Southwest Airlines, Jason personally decorated Buzzโs box that he was returned home in with a letter detailing Buzzโs latest mission. Of course, photos of Buzzโs journey were added to the package as well.
Airlines close books on rotten 2020 and so far, 2021 is grim
An American Airlines Boeing 777 is framed by utility wires as it prepares to land at Miami International Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Miami. And now a halting rollout of vaccines threatens to further delay a recovery in travel and the travel industry. On Thursday as airlines reported results, a new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa was found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina. โTravel restrictions on international have resulted in a reduction in demand,โ American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said. AdJETBLUE AIRWAYSJetBlue reported a loss of $381 million, after reporting a profit in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Southwest warns nearly 7,000 workers of possible furloughs
On Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, the airline warned nearly 7,000 employees that they could lose their jobs unless labor unions accept concessions to help Southwest cope with a sharp drop in travel during the pandemic. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)DALLAS โ Southwest Airlines warned nearly 7,000 workers on Thursday that they could lose their jobs unless labor unions accept concessions to help the airline cope with a sharp drop in travel caused by the pandemic. The warnings went to 6,828 employees including more than 2,500 ground workers and 1,500 flight attendants represented by the Transport Workers Union and 1,221 pilots, who have their own union. Dallas-based Southwest, the nationโs fourth-biggest airline, boasts that it has never furloughed workers in its history dating back more than 50 years. Jon Weaks, president of the pilotsโ union, called the furlough notices โa sad milestoneโ in Southwest history.
As virus cases rise, Southwest sees slower travel recovery
DALLAS โ Southwest Airlines cautioned Thursday that the tenuous recovery in air travel could be fading as coronavirus cases spike across the United States. Airline stocks surged on Monday after Pfizer reported promising early results from a trial of a coronavirus vaccine. The report from Dallas-based Southwest added to fears that the spreading virus cases will hurt travel demand heading into Thanksgiving, a key period for airlines. It is unclear whether the weakening booking trends is directly related to the surge in virus cases. Airline stocks fell more sharply than broader market indexes.
JetBlue is the latest airline to retreat from blocking seats
The days of airlines blocking seats to make passengers feel safer about flying during the pandemic are coming closer to an end. A spokesman for the carrier said Thursday that JetBlue will reduce the number of seats it blocks after Dec. 1 to accommodate families traveling together over the holidays. Southwest Airlines said last week that it will stop limiting the number of seats it fills after Dec. 1. Some airlines promised to block middle seats to create more distance between passengers. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly made a similar reference to โscientific evidenceโ that cabins are safe, but he also cited a strong financial incentive to stop blocking middle seats.
US airlines still piling up losses but say demand is rising
Southwest Airlines on Thursday, Oct. 22, lost $1.16 billion in the normally strong third quarter, which includes most of the summer vacation season. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)DALLAS โ Airlines are piling up billions of dollars in additional losses as the pandemic chokes off air travel, but a recent uptick in passengers, however modest, has provided some hope. However, air travel in October is still down 65% from a year ago. The Seattle company said that removing one-time gains and costs, the loss came to $3.23 per share, which was wider than the $2.86 per share loss predicted by analysts. Earlier this month, Delta Air Lines posted a $5.4 billion loss and United Airlines lost $1.8 billion for the third quarter.
Pandemic air travel milestone; 1 million passengers screened
โ The number of passengers screened in a single day for flights in the U.S. topped one million for the first time since COVID-19 infections began to spike last March. The million plus passengers screened Sunday compares with 2.6 million on the same day last year, or roughly 60% fewer, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA said that the 6.1 million passengers at U.S. checkpoints the week of Oct. 12 through Oct. 18 was the greatest volume measured since the start of the pandemic. With so little known about the virus, few wanted to board planes or walk through an airport even if they could. Airlines are now warning of mass layoffs while lobbying Congress and the White House for another $25 billion to pay workers for the next six months.
CEO says Southwest needs union pay cuts to avoid furloughs
DALLAS โ Southwest Airlines will cut pay for nonunion workers in January and says union workers must also accept less pay or face furloughs next year as the pandemic continues to hammer the airline business. Southwest will negotiate similar cuts from union workers, who represent about 85% of the workforce. Southwest Airlines Co. had about 61,000 employees in June but at least 4,200 agreed to leave. All the carriers are lobbying Congress and the White House for another $25 billion in taxpayer money to pay workers for the next six months. Southwest flight attendants began contract negotiations in late 2018, long before the pandemic.
Unfriendly skies: Airline workers brace for mass layoffs
About 40,000 workers in the airline industry are facing layoffs on Thursday, Oct. 1, unless Congress comes up with another aid package. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)DETROIT โ The worries are growing for United Airlines flight attendant Jordy Comeaux. Airlines in Europe are expecting years of trouble and have acted quickly to cut jobs even as they get government rescue loans. Allie Malis, an American Airlines flight attendant in Washington, D.C., also faces layoff Thursday. Many United flight attendants, he said, took special leaves with no pay to preserve jobs for others.
Lawsuit: Southwest pilots streamed video from plane's bathroom
(CNN) - A Southwest Airlines flight attendant says two pilots live streamed video from a hidden camera in a commercial airliner's lavatory to an iPad in the cockpit, a lawsuit says. Terry Graham asked for a flight attendant to come to the cockpit so that he could leave to use the restroom, the complaint says. After Steinaker arrived and Graham left, Steinaker spotted an iPad in the plane's cockpit that appeared to be streaming live video of the pilot inside an airplane lavatory, the lawsuit said. In its written response, Southwest denied Graham or Russell "intentionally invaded the privacy of Plaintiff Renee Steinaker on Southwest Airlines flight 1088 by installing, viewing, watching, recording and/or playing recordings of plaintiff while she was using the forward lavatory's toilet." When reached by CNN on Saturday, a spokesperson with Southwest Airlines declined to comment on the lawsuit but said the airline does not place cameras in the plane's lavatories.
In wake of 737 Max crisis, Southwest may end its all-Boeing policy
Copyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - Every plane in Southwest Airlines' fleet is a Boeing 737. The 737 Max, the more current version of the 737, has been grounded since March due to two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. Southwest has 34 of the 737 Max in its fleet, the most of any airline. "The 737 Max will certainly be the last 737," said Aboulafia. Kelly said the review won't take place until it is able to get the 737 Max back in service.
Southwest Airlines selling beloved trademark peanuts
ROANOKE, Va. - Southwest Airlines is selling their beloved trademark peanuts again -- the ones they stopped handing out last year over allergy concerns. The company is offering ten-ounce packages of lightly salted and honey-roasted -- the two kinds the airline served before it had to stop -- inside a silver lunchbox. The box has the Southwest logo and the design from the original peanut packages. It will cost you $29 online and at its Dallas-based company store. The company's website says they are on back order and more will be available on Oct. 3, while supplies last.
Southwest agents hold worst driver's license photo contest during delay
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 passenger jet taxis on the tarmac after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport. ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) - For travelers, there are few things more annoying than a delayed flight. That's what Kristen Dundas of Windermere, Florida, thought until her Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Washington was delayed Thursday -- and she actually ended up enjoying the experience. The tweet included a video showing a gate agent hosting a contest for the "worst driver's license picture." In reply to Dundas' tweet, a Southwest Airlines representative replied: "I'm glad our agent was able to make the delay a little more bearable for y'all, Kristen!
Flight attendant greets passengers from inside overhead bin
One Southwest Airlines employee literally put herself into the fray when it came to jockeying for overhead bin space. NASHVILLE, Tenn. - One Southwest Airlines employee literally put herself into the travel fray when it came to jockeying for overhead bin space. Passenger Veronica Lloyd was surprised to find a flight attendant in the overhead compartment on her flight from Nashville to Atlanta on Monday. "So I guess I was unaware of the [flight attendants] wanting to have a sense of humor during flights for Southwest, but it certainly was entertaining." In this case, the flight attendant "attempted to have a brief moment of fun with customers during boarding," the airline said in a statement.
Southwest ceasing operations at Newark airport
Getty Images(CNN) - Southwest Airlines is ceasing operations at Newark Liberty International Airport because of the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 Max. The 737 Max grounding is hurting other parts of Southwest's business. Southwest recorded a $175 million operating loss because of the grounding, Southwest revealed in its second-quarter earnings report, released Thursday. The 737 Max was grounded worldwide in March following the crash in Ethiopia that killed everyone on board. The Fort Worth-based carrier said it will take a $400 million profit hit because of the prolonged 737 Max grounding.
2 Southwest planes collided in Nashville, Tenn
(CNN) - Two planes are out of service after a collision knocked the "S" out of Southwest on one of the aircraft. On Saturday, two Southwest planes were pushing back from the gate at Nashville International Airport, one headed to St. Louis and the other to Atlanta, according to a statement from Southwest Airlines. They backed into each other, with one clipping the winglet of the other, the statement said. No injuries were reported, and the planes were able to return to the gates on their own, according to the release. The aircraft were taken out of service to be evaluated, and passengers were put on other planes to continue to their destinations, the airline said.
Southwest extends 737 Max flight cancellations through Nov. 2
KCAL/KCBS via CNN(CNN) - Southwest Airlines is the latest carrier to extend flight cancellations into November because of the Boeing 737 Max grounding. Southwest has 34 of the 737 Max planes in its fleet, the most of any U.S. airline. Southwest has extended its 737 Max flight cancellations a couple of times already. The plane was grounded worldwide in March following the crash of a 737 Max in Ethiopia that killed everyone on board. On Sunday, American extended cancellations until Nov. 2, amounting to roughly 115 flight cancellations per day.
Southwest cancellations will rise due to grounded Boeing jet
Southwest Airlines planes taxi on the runway at airline's hub at Dallas Love Field March 12, 2008, in Dallas, Texas. DALLAS - Southwest Airlines is again pushing back the date it expects to be able to fly the grounded Boeing 737 Max jet, meaning more flight cancellations. Southwest said Thursday that it was taking the plane out of its schedule through Nov. 2, a month longer than before. Without the plane, Southwest says it will drop about 180 flights a day from its schedule, up from 150. Southwest had 34 Max jets when the plane was grounded in March, and the airline expected to receive more as the year went on, but Boeing halted deliveries.